Wichita eagle., 1887-11-19

VI All cOrtS--J uSSIers, HfesllefS dHG
Other Performers-Other Fairs.
Easter in Paris is not only day when
grand religious services are held, when horse
Facing takes place in the Bots de Boulogne.
and when our English friends in thousands
cross the channel on a two days visit to the
capital, but it is also the day when the Gin
gerbred fair opens in the Place du Trone, or
Place de la Nation, as it is now officially
called A curious part of Paris is this great
circular square, reached from the Place de la
Bastile by the Rue du Faubourg st. Antoine,
q street apparently given up to the furniture
trade but which for centuries has been the
Ithoroughfare through which every revolu-
ltion has made its entrance into Paris
Very soon after l turn into the Faubourg
st. Antoine the crowd becomes so great that
the cabman is forced to walk his horse. The
crowd Is largely composed of workmen, who,
accompanied by their entire families, are on
their way TO seek amusement at the fair
Presently the air is filed with a smell Of fry
ing, which comes from dozens Of pancake
bakers, who have set up their stands on both
sides of the way. Then come sellers Of old
clothes, old iron, rubbish of all sorts, their
wares piled up on the sidewalks, lottery
games and open air shooting galleries, and
presently lind myself in the center of the
Place Gle IA Nation, which has been converted
into an immense bohemian camp. There are
tents Of all sizes and shapes, exhibitions Of
human and animal Inonstrosities, aguariunls,
waxwork shows, anatomical and pathological
museums, panoramas and photograph gal
ieTfes, where you may have your likeness
taken for five cents
The dramatic profession is very brilliantly
represented on the place. There are not less
than half dozen theatres, where a little Of
everything Ia the show line is given all
through the day and evening-comedics,
meiodramas, vaudeviiies, comic operas, oper-
ettas. | read the bills the title of such
works as the "Chimes of Normandy" "Ies
Ncces dc Jeannotts' and Ia File de Nine.
Ansot," and the Cccherie theatre, which is
lighted by electricity, announces spectacu-
lar ballet entitled "The Fairy Of the Golden
Apples" The artists are in many cases men
and women who have failed at minor thea
tres OF the capital or in the provinces, but it
not lnfrequently occurs that those who begin
their professional career on the boards OF one
oil these theatres fOrains become celebrated
Next door to COcheries is Corvis' exhibition
OF trained dogs, monkeys and ponies-by no
means bad show-and alongside of bis tent
Is one where | find some "Chinese shadows"
showing Cen. BOulanger reviewing the troops
at Longchamps and other scenes of military
NE quite as ingenious and amusing as a SINH
lar performance | saw the other night at the
Chat Noir. There are several tents in which
wrestling matches are taking place. and this
year MGrseiiles has formidable rival in this
line III the person Of Bertrand, who announces
himself Us the "mcst celebrated toreador of
SPAIN
As usual, wild beast tanners are numerous.
Here Is Bidel, cured from the injuries re-
celved last year from the teeth and claws Of
bis lion Sultan, at the Montuetre fair and
exhibiting not only his own power over wild
beasts, but also That Of his pUpils-Alexano
nnd Nile. Victoria. Bidel is certainly the
Iion tanner par excellence, for he masters his
beasts as much by the magnetic power Of
his eye as by the fear that is inspired by
his heavy whip. His principal rival, Pegon,
Is also here. He is q trainer rather than q
tanner, and it is astonishing the number OF
things be hes taught lis lions to DO. Nouma
Hawa's performance is perhaps the most
pleasant TO look at, for she Is pretty and
Bhapaiy woman, and her fierce pets really
Seem to have a warm affection for their mis-
tress.
There are several "Bclles Fatmas" at the
fair, all of them "the only true
one" and Of course there are no end Of merry
so rounds, wooden horses, miniature railroads,
games q all kinds, including the traditional
rabbit game The plant for this means of
drawing the pennies from a crowd consists Of |
q live rabbit, q table, q peg and ball hung
by string from two uprights The rabbit
IS the prize, and TO win it ali that is necessary
to do is to knock over the peg with the bail,
that looks very easy and which
you never fail to do when you accept the
owners offer to try it "for nothing, Just to
get your hand in"
OF course You have TO pay to set into the
theatres, wild beast shows. wrestling matches
and other principal exhibitions of the fair
but there are also great many iugglers
cOniurers and ether performers who have 10
tents and who are obliged to trust to the gem
eroSitv of the crowd. Here is a fellow in
tights and sp2ngles who proposes 10 give an
acrobatic performance. \ group soon forms
r ring around his strip of carpet and he pro-
ceeds to stand half dozen chairs one on top
of the other. Then he passes round a plate
snd announces that be viii begin as soon rs it
contains franc. This sum RAISED, he clam
oeIs TO the top Of the pile, and, after one or
,wo simple contortions. offers 10 stand on his
lcad il the crowd VIII contribute five more
,ous. Near by Is a strong man Juggling with
leilow cannon balls and fictitious 100 pound
weights on his brawny shoulders. Three
more sous, gentlemen and ladies, and III add
l20 moro kiics 80 tie pile" is the offer | hear
Inn make as l turn aside to look ut an an!az-
ngly thin woman in pink cotton tights, who
$ beating drum. while in front OF her an in
lescribable creature--a veritahle living siele-
on-is turning Somersaults.
As for the gingerbread from which the fair
,e.s its name. there is no lack of booths and
tands at which you can buy what goes by
hat name il this country, but if YOU viii be
ivised by one who has been there you VIII
10 nothing Of the kind. You can get ii in
ny shape you want--in squares, ovals.
oun6s and cubes, or You can find it made IN
4 artistic designs, one Of the novelties this
ear being model Of the Eiifel tower. and
mother a carlc2ture Of Gen Boulanger.
,ATle CT the pain d'epice is very dear. bur
here are stands where it is sold Is low as two
entS q pound. I am afraid You will think If
ear even at that price when tell YOU that
is made out OF stale bread, rebaked until il
; brown and then ground up mixed with
lolasses and mClled INTO the desired shapes.
A great many fairs are held in Paris and
: environS between April and the end Of
october, but none of them are as popular
18th the masses rs this Fare aux Paris
'Epice, which, with the Ham fair and Old
ron fair inst Immediately precede it, opeqs
le annual series c. fetes populaireS. Origin
Nv these were in France, as they are still in
,rtain parts of Russia, periodical gatherings :
merchants for purposes OF trade. Their ,
-iC:n is doubtless as old as commerce itself.